School Diversity Perspectives and Classmate Diversity Climate: Understanding High School Students' School Belonging, Well-Being, and Intercultural Contact.

This study examined how school diversity perspectives (multiculturalism, critical consciousness, color-evasion) may enhance student outcomes (school belonging, well-being, intercultural contact) and whether a strong diversity climate among classmates (openness and appreciation of diversity) may moderate this link. We surveyed N = 280 high school students (Mage = 15.95; 47.5% female; 1.8% nonbinary) in the Netherlands. We performed multigroup structural equation modeling, comparing cultural minority (n = 81) and majority (n = 203) students, and multilevel analysis to separate individual-level from classroom-level effects. A strong diversity climate among classmates and color-evasion in school (not multiculturalism and critical consciousness) were robustly, positively related to belonging and well-being (minority and majority students) and intercultural contact (minority students). For all students, a strong diversity climate among classmates amplified the relation between color-evasion with student outcomes. Findings highlight the need to distinguish school-level policies from classroom-level practices in addressing educational inequities between minority and majority students.